Jian Ghomeshi has written a book about growing up in a suburb of Toronto in the early 1980s. Right there, that’s enough material for a class on the history of punk. Not only that, but 1982 weaves in themes of generational conflict, coming of age, multiculturalism, and, of course, music.

Class this week will be in intellectual book club format, held upstairs in the Remedy Café think-tank (aka on the couches). We’ll sit around and talk about David Bowie, the impact of the Iranian Revolution, and what it’s like to be in grade 9. We’ll also expand on Ghomeshi’s look at this particular year of the dog, by examining the wider context of Canadian punk music. Finally, we’ll get serious and discuss the bombing of Toronto’s Litton Systems in October 1982 by the activist group Direct Action.

Following the class there will be a class field trip to a fundraiser for the inner city agency Bissell Centre, with a bunch of great folks from the Edmonton music community. Find more info about it by clicking here.